can you whisper?
by abbyli
Summary: He still wears his little brother's coat...post 4x18 klaus/caroline, kol/klaus brotherly


**title: **can you whisper?

**summary: **He still wore his little brother's coat. post 4x18

**pairing: **klaus/caroline, klaus/kol brotherly

**rating: **T

**disclaimer: **i own nothing.

**notes: **It's been two months and I am still not over it. My respect for Nate B. is sky rocketing because he even took to Twitter telling fans that are badmouthing Julie to cool it. I find it quite interesting that he is defending the woman that fired him.

This is set post 4x18. Some Klaroline but mostly brotherly.

**.**

**.**

When she finally leaves, there is a gust of wind that goes through him.

And his eyes fall on the thick brown woolen coat laying draped over a chair.

He lied.

He can still feel the dull ache in his back.

It thuds away painfully, resounding through his brain like a mantra.

He wonders what it was like-he had been stabbed before, in the chest by Damon Salvatore. But Damon was an enemy and always would be, no matter how often he asked for advice about romance. Hell, it had been a thousand years since he had had a real relationship with a woman, what was the point of even trying?

When he hears Elijah's voice, he feels that dull ache move to his heart.

He would never admit out loud how much he had missed him.

As he opens his mouth to tell him-he finds that he can't.

That isn't news that he can say over the phone.

"Just come home, brother."

Home.

_Home. _

When he finally hangs up the phone, that's when he sees it.

Draped over the back of a chair, so casually thrown there like he had just walked through.

His eyes dart up and he glances around, thinking for just one moment-just maybe he's still here.

He remembers the first time he had seen Kol in the months after he had fled Mystic Falls. He had shown up at the house with blood on his hands (literally) after killing the professor that Silas now wore as a prom suit. He had been wearing that dark brown woolen jacket, buttoned tightly around his form like he was actually cold.

Rebekah had given him that jacket after Elijah had awoken them. That jacket and the coat he had died in were his favorites, the ones that he wore almost all the time.

His hand darts out, his fingertips gently tracing the one lapel.

He can still smell his little brother's cologne.

Rebekah always said the cologne smelled like a dying pig. He would always turn around and tell their sister she had legs like a chicken.

And round and round the Mikaelson's would go.

Hot tears burn.

He allows one to escape as his hand slides underneath the thick woolen folds, gently cradling it as though it were a small child.

He takes in his brother's scent and for one moment, he allows himself to remember. To see.

He sees them human.

He sees them happy.

Finn and Kol never lost their powers and were able to become powerful warlocks. Henrick never died, growing up to be that strong farmer and warrior that he had always meant to be. Full of hope and full of joy.

Rebekah had been allowed to grow up, to see the age of eighteen and to marry and have a family of her own.

Elijah married Tatia and left, their feud finally over.

And he never broke the werewolf curse. He never learned of his mother's betrayal and was able to leave as well, find a family of his own and to be happy.

Happiness seemed so far away from him right now.

Did he even want to be happy?

"Klaus?"

Her voice makes him still, the coat clenched in his hands.

"Klaus, I left my-oh, my god..."

She sees the tears sliding down his cheeks and he doesn't even make a move to hide them from her. She's won. She gets to see him open and vulnerable and so full of pain.

Yes, he's got a heart. And it's broken.

**-;**

Caroline stares at the broken and crumbled figure in front of her.

Gone is the horrible hybrid that had wanted to kill them all, replaced by an vulnerable and devastated little boy who's whole family has abandoned him or been taken away from him.

And she finds that just a little bit of her hate for him is starting to break away.

So she acts in the only way that she knows she can with this man.

Gently and delicately, she pulls the jacket from his grasp. She recognizes it as Kol's, she can smell his scent all over it. With a free hand, she touches his elbow and guides him to his feet.

"What are you doing?"

She silences him with a quiet shake of the head, carefully shaking the coat out. It's when she holds it up to him that he understands. That he sees it.

And with that, she helps him slip the jacket on over his shoulders.

He buries his nose in the layers of soft wool, breathing in his brother's scent. For one moment, it's like he's still there, giving him grief and giving him so much joy.

"Thank—"

But Caroline's gone.

**-;**

Only Rebekah recognizes the coat later. She doesn't say a word when he begins to wear it more often, almost disregarding his own favorite leather jacket.

And a hundred years later, he still wore his little brother's coat.

**-;**

* * *

I listened to 'Young Blood' by the Naked and the Famous while reading this over. I totally recommend that you listen to it while reading.

Bwah! So sad. It's almost a mindless incoherent drabble that makes no sense at all. I'm just—I'm so angry at the show right now. It's like Kol never even existed. I would have thought that Rebekah or Klaus would have at least told Elijah. I don't understand why they didn't tell him. It was about Rebekah wanting to be human…blablabla. Sorry, I love my Bex but seriously?

Okay, I'm done with my babbling. I do hope you enjoyed and I wouldn't say no to a review. =)


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